Monday, May 12, 2014

Grading the 2014 Bills Draft

by Steve

With rose colored glasses on the Bills got the top wide receiver in the draft, they drafted the starting left tackle from the premier college program and filled positions they were lacking in depth.  In reality they used two first round picks on a receiver that arguably will not be better than Stevie Johnson this season, didn't get a tight end and inexplicably did not draft a quarterback.

In what world is any 6'1 receiver worth two first round picks?  Whaley says next years 1st will be low any way so they aren't concerned? Hahahaha WTF? That cannot be an actual rationale for trading next years first round pick if you are the Buffalo Bills.  I can't even remember a world where the Bills drafted later than 13th overall.

So the Bills draft Sammy Watkins, a dynamic talent, even if he caught most of his passes at or near the line of scrimmage and won't be able to burn past 11 players in the NFL. But did they have to trade Stevie Johnson?  Why couldn't they bring all the guys into training camp?  TJ Graham??? Does a 4th round pick next season mean a god damn thing? SJ13 counts $10 mil against the cap and the Bills already paid him a $1.75 mil roster bonus.

How does this sequence of events make the Bills better for 2014?  Why not resign Jairus Byrd via the franchise tag then?  Doug Marrone is a loser, what has he won in this league?  They really expect to be good this season without Byrd and Johnson but with Marrone and Erik Manuel?

Just imagine if the Jaguars drafted Watkins and the Bills moved up two sports for Mike Evans? They keep Johnson, keep their 2015 first and have a gigantic target. Ugh.

Alright, back to the draft.. I guess. Cyrus Kouandjio, at least the Bills didn't take an OT in the first round.  I like this pick because it was inevitable the Bills were going to take a tackle and this might be good value because the kid was coming off some injuries and may be a very good player.  Moreover, he'll be playing right tackle and again he was the starting tackle for Alabama.

The other guys, ILB Preston Brown, CB Ross Rockrell, G Cyril Richardson, OT Seantrell Henderson, LB Randell Johnson, I have no fuckin clue and probably very few people do.  My major concern is WHY DID THEY TRADE THAT FIFTH ROUND PICK (148) WHEN: AJ MccArron, Zach Mettenburger and Aaron Murray were still on the board?  If any of those guys sees the field EVER then it is an absolute dereliction of duty to pass on any of those guys with rickety EJ Manuel as their quarterback.

Overall, the whole direction and vision of this front office is beyond puzzling to me.  It seems like they have no idea what they are doing.  Sammy Watkins has to be a stud WR.  He has to be a game changing, defense altering talent that matters every game.  Doug Marrone and Erik Manuel have to win this season.  If that is a top 15 pick in 2015 this front office will be gone before 2016, there will be another rebuild and in 2020 the Bills will still be the only team to not make the playoffs this century.

Grade D+

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